Ten guys? No. No, no, no. I didn抰 ask guys out. I had never asked a guy out. I hadn抰 even flirted with a guy. I didn抰 know how to. That was why I was here in the first place, so Wyatt could teach me all those things.
He clearly didn抰 understand what my goals were.
揧ou抮e supposed to help me get a haircut and pick out better clothes!?I called back in desperation. 揘ot make me look like a fool.?
揗y rules,?he called back.
I made a noise of anguish and headed to the back of the shop, where I yanked off my suit and hung it on the railing. Inside, I crept into the bathroom to change out of my wet swimsuit, and nearly gasped when I put my glasses back on and peered into the mirror.
I looked feral. My waterproof mascara? Not waterproof. My eyes were ringed in black smudges. My hair was a knotted mess, half wet, half dry. The salty ocean water had made it frizzy and poofy. My face was still flushed from talking to a member of the opposite sex for so long.
Wyatt must have thought this was hilarious, me wanting to be a hot girl. I swallowed and wiped off the mascara smudges with toilet paper. I didn抰 want to think about it too hard, because if I did, I would come to the conclusion that I was the joke. A meek little bookworm, wanting to be someone else. I couldn抰 even stand up on my board. I抎 seen tourists surfing small waves within an hour of their first lesson and all I could do was scream and inhale a face full of water.
I blew a breath out, listening to the sounds of Carter opening the shop up. I didn抰 feel like having a conversation with him and explaining why I looked like Alice Cooper so I snuck back out of the shop and went home.
Maybe this whole thing was a mistake.
My body replayed Wyatt pulling me against his chest. My stomach rolled. He was so warm and solid.
So I fell off my board. I got water in my brain and thought a piece of seaweed was a Great White shark. I tried something new today. That抯 what hot girls did. Th閞鑣e wouldn抰 let one bad day get her down.
I was one step closer.
5
Wyatt
A couple days later, I stood in front of Pemberley Books, studying the exterior. The paint on the front of the shop peeled. I glanced at the mural on the side of the building, in the alley next to the shop. As a kid, I remembered it clear and freshly painted, classic books from every genre in a grid.
Now, it looked kind of sad. The paint had faded from the sun and time, and most of the titles were difficult to read.
揌ey, buddy. I heard you got into Pacific Rim. Congrats.?
I turned to see Beck Kingston, one of my oldest friends, walking up the street toward me. 揟hanks, Dr. Beck.?
He laughed. After we graduated high school, Beck had gone to university in Vancouver and then medical school with the intention of taking over his parents?practice one day here in Queen抯 Cove.
揌ow were the waves this morning??Beck sometimes joined me out on the water but always in the evenings. He wasn抰 a morning person.
揚erfect. Nice and clean.?
揜eady for Pacific Rim??
I crossed my arms over my chest and ignored the twinge of panic in my gut. I didn抰 panic. That wasn抰 my style. I shrugged. 揜eady as I抣l ever be. Still going to get out there every morning, though.?
Beck grinned. 揥ouldn抰 expect anything less of you.?He tilted his chin at the store. 揑 have a book to pick up, I抣l talk to you later.?
揑抣l join you. I need to talk to Hannah about something.?
The bell on the door rang when he opened the door and held it for me. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the dim lighting, but I spotted Hannah chatting with a customer. Beck headed off in search of a book with a wave to me.
I wandered over to the squashy chairs I had seen her and Th閞鑣e sitting in and took a seat while I waited for her to finish up. I eased back into the chair, studying the store.
Every shelf burst with books. Stacks sat on the floor beside shelves and between the big chairs. There were empty spaces where it looked like a shelf used to be but had given out. I could only see half of the front desk from where I sat, but even from here I could see the weathered desk and old, outdated register. The carpet was thin and the place smelled musty. Not unpleasant, just old.
They hadn抰 updated this place in a long time.
Her murmur traveled through the stacks of books.
The front doorbell rang again as the customer left and Hannah抯 footsteps approached. She stopped short when she came around the corner and saw me.
She reared back. 揥hat are you doing here??
I snorted. 揘ow that抯 customer service. 慦elcome to Pemberley Books. What are you doing here?挃
She crossed her arms and gestured at the chair. 揧ou can抰 sit there.?
揑抦 wearing a shirt this time.?